Emma @ theweekendabroad.com on 5 Ways to Avoid an Airbnb Disaster
The quaint atrium at the Airbnb I stayed at in Fort Bragg, California
I’ve stayed in Airbnb accommodations almost two dozen times now and common questions I get are, “is it safe? Aren’t you scared something bad might happen?” And to be honest, I’ve never been paranoid or had a bad experience thus far *knock on wood*. The Airbnb homes I’ve stayed in have been positive across the board internationally. I’ve stayed in Airbnbs across the United States, Asia, and Western Europe and the hosts have all been very welcoming, organized, and gracious. They want those 5 star reviews!
The saying, “you pay for what you get for”, definitely applies to Airbnbs though. The less money I’ve spent, the less “warm” and aesthetically pleasing the homes have been. However, I am usually just looking for a bed for a few nights so it’s never really bothered me. For me, the adventure is outside the Airbnb. As mentioned in my post on how to travel affordably (and more often), you have to lower your expectations. Here, I provide examples of some Airbnb accommodations I’ve stayed in and how I try my best to avoid an Airbnb disaster.
If you’re looking to save money, I cannot recommend Airbnb enough. Here are some examples of how much I’ve paid for Airbnbs in the past (all currency is in USD):
- South Kuta, Bali, Indonesia: $12/night (FYI $21/night in Ubud, Bali got us a beautiful b&b)
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada: $22/night
- Paris, France: $34/night
- Barcelona, Spain: $33/night
- Portland, Oregon, USA: $84/night
5 Ways to Avoid an Airbnb Disaster
- Book an Airbnb with more than 5 reviews.
- If the Airbnb you’re interested in doesn’t have many reviews, go to the host’s profile page and see if they have reviews for other properties.
- Book an Airbnb with a 4-5 star rating. I’ve never booked an Airbnb with less than 4 stars.
- Try to read all the Airbnb’s reviews. Sometimes there are a lot, but try your best to skim to make sure you’re not missing anything sketchy.
- Avoid Airbnb hosts who cancel last minute (yes, this happens!). You can see each time a host cancels a reservation in the property’s reviews section.
Note that these are just my recommendations and there are no guarantees that your trips will be 100% smooth. Anything can happen on your travels. I wish you the best on your future Airbnb stays!
Have questions about Airbnb or have any Airbnb tips of your own? Let us know in the comments!
Comments ( 14 )